Comments on: (Newsweek’s) Obama’s Lincoln

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By: acm

acm — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:23:24 +0000

ragged robin's posting of the Lincoln version kind of makes the discussion about the "meaning" of the two-tone aspect moot. however, rather than seeing a yin-yang, I was reminded of the red/blue Obama poster that has taken on iconic status...

By: gmoke

gmoke — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:03:26 +0000

The identification with Lincoln is apt, the Nation coming full circle on the issue of Emancipation, but disturbing. Lincoln was assassinated.
Obama is being set up not as God but as Christ (and Anti-Christ), as a sacrificial victim. I hope my fears are completely unrealized but he must know how personally dangerous his political life is. Barack and Michelle Obama are very courageous people.
If his campaign organization can morph into a governing organization with the grassroots as the base of power, then the cult of personality that of necessity is building around him will be modified and the citizens’ movement his election started will be able to proceed as a democratic conversation rather than a stump speech or, worse yet, a recitation of orders.

By: Michael

Michael — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:40:53 +0000

May I just go back to the beginning? The Newsweek article said:
A Lincolnesque leader is confident enough to be humble—to not feel the need to bluster or dominate, but to be sufficiently sure of one’s own judgment and self-worth to really listen and not be threatened by contrary advice.
Listening is a tremendous achievement in itself, and every evidence is that Obama listens intently and well. We can see that in the way he listens to interviewers; but the best sign is that he responds appropriately and thoughtfully. If that suggests a connection with Lincoln, then it also suggests that, like Lincoln, he will be able to respond appropriately and thoughtfully to what is going on. That also means that he will not be predictable, and that’s OK, because we can’t predict what situations he will face in the first place, let alone read what he will do about them. Of course he has already taken the measure of some situations, such as Guantanamo, and he has made his considered judgment clear about that. It is clear that he has some principles, and that he will stand by them. But principles in themselves only get you so far; you have to listen carefully to know whether it is this principle,or that one, which you need for one occasion or another. It has been a long time since we had a sense of such responsiveness at the top of American government.
So maybe the only thing we need to read into that penny image is: he listens, like that other guy listened.

By: raggedrobin

raggedrobin — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 10:16:48 +0000

I think the yin-yang reference was probably fortuitous. Have a look at the Obama image along with the Lincoln version the illustrators seem to have used as a model - a photograph of a collectors' "proof" coin with a polished background (found through wikipedia). Of course we may want to read something into the choice of that model, or the differences between the photograph and the illustration. But while I would say the Obama image is, over all, more evocative of a yin-yang symbol than the photograph, some of the illustrators' choices push against that reading, and the ones that support it can mostly be explained by aesthetic considerations and differences in the subject.

By: Pants Elk

Pants Elk — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 09:16:20 +0000

Kat, of course he’ll get knocked down – but let’s hope it’s only metaphorically. He’s a tough guy – the scrawniness is misleading – and he’ll be only too aware of the honeymoon effect, so I suspect he can weather a few knocks.
FWIW – I’m a Brit, living in the far east. For the first time in my life I wanted to vote – and I couldn’t! His importance can’t be overstated in terms of world history. WE all know this. The massive wave of global goodwill toward the US (WELL DONE!!!!!) and Obama is exactly what we all needed. It’s almost like making up for Kennedy’s assassination, a nation waking up after a very troubled sleep. It’s not surprising that there’s a tendency to deify. I just know he’s probably one of the very smartest men in the world right now, and there’s nothing in his media treatment that will come as a surprise to him
I always thought the main difference between the two candidates was that McCain thought he was owed the job, and Obama *wanted* it.
Anyway, I like the coin image and its subtle yin-yang thing.

By: psychohistorian

psychohistorian — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 05:21:15 +0000

Replace the “In God we trust” with the original motto of the US which is “E Pluribus Unum” and it would look much better, IMO

By: vcInCA

vcInCA — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 01:59:36 +0000

Kat & T,
Interesting discussion. I’d like to offer another comment, as a mixed race kid-then-adult. Kat, definitely one recognizes their friends by name more than by race, as your kids seem to. But also, as you are identified by others, you start to categorize and label the ppl around you–for example, since i was ~10, i’ve been asked, at least once a month ‘where are you from?’ and no amount of offering US cities i grew up in or was born in or currently live in satisfies this question–questions keep coming, and eventually some sort of ‘why don’t you look white (or black, perhaps)’ surfaces (e.g. the q wasn’t about location as much as race/ethnicity).
i believe that having to deal with these sorts of questions across a lifespan can impact how people see & define themselves (and, keeping w/ the theme of this webpage, how they are then framed by others both through words & visuals–for example, the media seems to make much of his basketball passion, clearly considered a ‘black’ sport, while i have no clue what bush did for exercise [tho perhaps he didn't]): in some ways it illustrates the folk idea of what a person that doesn’t quite ‘look’ white is allowed to belong to–for example, if you’re half black, half white, its ok to call yourself black–this is an inclusive group (you don’t have to be 100% black to claim membership). but its NOT ok to just call yourself white–this is far more exclusive, and to me, it seems that this is only OK if your features really pass as ‘white.’
Within this, i’m not so sure that most ‘white’ people ‘claim him’ in an ethnic sense-i think that they identify more with his upbringing, his education, his other experiences. So yes, we can see something in Obama that is more, or abstracted, from blackness, but also, most of us ALSO see him as an ethnicity. its a rare person who is in no way influenced by their experiences of inhabiting a body of a particular color. t’s link to the number of black senators in US history (5) is very telling-while the face of america may be changing, our leaders/rulers aren’t, or at least are moving much more slowly in this direction. so yes, he does capture more of what america actually is (mixed ethnicity, not growing up rich, etc.), but this ethnic representation is also way overdue, if the gov’t is supposed to represent not just the ideas, but the physical embodiment of the populous..

By: kat

kat — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:53:06 +0000

Pants Elk-
My concern about the deification of Obama is not about whether he deserves it; of course Obama is an incredible person and his election is the best thing to happen in a long, long, long time. I am hoping it ushers in all kinds of changes in the United States and in the US’s relationship with other countries.
My concern is about what happens when there is the least little rough patch. I live in the South where some people will be quick to knock him, to overreact, and not give him a fair chance. Some will be especially mean spirited about images like this one or anything related to him being a savior. Thank God, it’s not like that all over.
I guess I’m worried that if the media builds him up so high now, they might also take him down too low at some point. And I don’t want that to happen. Look at what McCain and Palin dished out. I don’t want any more stuff like that.
Hopefully, my concern just reflects my experiences from living in a certain (racist) geographic area and isn’t representative of the national media and the country as a whole.

By: kat

kat — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 22:16:31 +0000

T-
I think your response is interesting. I guess I didn’t make my point very well.
Here’s my background—I’m the mother of three ethnically mixed kids. I have to check a box on a million forms every year describing my children. They don’t fit any of the boxes. A lot of their friends don’t either. I think they are the future face of America.
I am proud of how my kids and their friends see things. They all get along and think of each other simply as friends, classmates, teammates, etc. They don’t describe their teammates or friends based on race or ethnic origin—it’s “the guy in the blue shirt” or “#21 is a great running back on my team.”
I could be wrong, but the impression I get is that, to a great extent, white people tend to see things in white and black—they don’t get it that the face of the US is changing. I see the media emphasizing division between races and ethncity; like you have to be either/or. In fact, more and more people don’t fit that mold.
I’m not trying to take away from Obama being black. I am trying to make a point that he’s also like my kids. I think we both can “claim” him.